A few days ago, I wrote about dog breeding and how it is mostly detrimental to the dogs’ well-being and overall welfare of dogs. In this post, I will demonstrate how dog and cat breeding, in particular in Egypt, has led to horrific situations that most people don’t think about or see. I am hoping to raise awareness on this issue and convince people to adopt and/or rescue, rather than buying from a malicious breeder, or if you do want to buy from a breeder, to make sure you find the best, most responsible, reputable breeder possible – even if one does not exist in the country you live in. If you truly love your pet, and they are family, then you only want the best for them and you do not want to support this malicious practice.
See here some pictures of dogs (and cat) sold on Egyptian websites (often from the age of 45 days onwards, far too young to be away from their mothers). And below each section, see pictures of the dog breeds as they should look like.
Let’s start with the very popular German Shepherd, a breed that is known for diseases like cancer, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and heart issues. See here a selection of Egyptian ‘German Shepherd’ puppies:
For a comparison, see here what a healthy German Shepherd should look like:
Up next is the Saint Bernard, a breed that is also known for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and heart issues. The Egyptian ‘Saint Bernard’ dogs do not look very healthy at all:
For a comparison, see here what healthy Saint Bernard dogs should look like:
Another popular pair of popular breeds are the Golden and Labrador Retrievers, breeds that are also known for diseases like cancer, the unfortunately common hip dysplasia, elbow deformities and heart disease. This is what the puppies look like in Egypt:
For a comparison, see here what healthy Retrievers should look like:
English Bulldogs are known to have health problems related to breathing difficulties, skin infections and hip dysplasia. In Egypt, they are offered for sale looking like this…
…while they should be looking more like this:
When it comes to cats, I am not the best person in recognising breeds and health issues. However, a kitten that looks like this does not seem normal to me (but correct me if I’m wrong):
What I am trying to show here is not only a matter of looks. These differences in appearance are an indication that people do not know what they are doing when they are breeding dogs. They just put two dogs together and expect healthy ‘purebred’ puppies. Because if both parents are of the same breed, the puppy is ‘purebred’, right? That is the logic these people apply anyways. And with puppies and kittens looking like this, people still opt for a ‘purebred’ pet and often do not want to adopt a puppy or kitten from the streets (and believe me, with a good bath and some good food, these puppies are kittens are more beautiful, cuter and healthier than the puppies and kitten you just saw above). When it comes to dog breeds that are known for their ‘aggression’ (even though I do not believe dogs are born aggressive), people dock the tails and ears to make the dogs look more vicious. They proudly still post photos and mention that the ears have been ‘cropped’. Poor pup (WARNING: graphic image):
One of the most heart-breaking cases that one animal shelter in Cairo (S.P.A.R.E.) took in was the case of the blind Great Dane, Maya:
She was born blind because the breeders were breeding two Harlequin Great Danes, not knowing that breeding two dogs that have recessive white genes (harlequin, merle, piebald, etc.) will lead to higher chances of defects – deafness and/or blindness. Again, an example of stupid human behaviour (just putting two dogs together to create ‘purebred’ puppies to sell for a high price) that leads to more suffering of animals.
The above examples are from Egypt. However, this happens everywhere, in every country. If you can, please adopt or rescue. But if you want to buy a dog, do your research well before you decide to support a breeder. By buying a puppy from a malicious backyard breeder, you are supporting what they are doing. They will not stop, as long as there is a demand for their puppies.
wwwanchi 